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# Warping Effects of a Magical Aura

#### by Mark D F Shirley

The copyright of this article remains with the original author. Articles may be copied or distributed freely for personal non-profit use, provided that the author is properly credited.

If fluid vis is the raw power of magic that flows through the world, then magical auras are pools of this vis. Those that bathe in these pools by living in magical auras are subject to uncontrolled raw magical forces for extended periods of time. This is bound to have an effect upon mundanes.

This article provides some rules for dealing with this warping effect. They are based on the Ageing rules of Ars Magica 4th Edition. Storyguides may wish to use a similar mechanic for people who habitually dwell in Faerie or Infernal Auras, but this article deals only with Magical Auras.

Unlike the Ageing rules, there is no minimum age for the warping effect to start. It requires a record to be kept of the number of Aura Years - that is, for every full year spent in magical aura, add the strength of that aura to the Aura Years total. The Aura Years total can be decreased by moving into an area under the sway of the Dominion - decrease the Aura Years total by the strength of the Dominion for every full year spent there. Naturally, the Aura Years total cannot be less than zero - growing up in the Dominion does not start you off with a number of negative Aura Years! Instead, the power of God can decrease the accumulated magical detritus. Mundane areas (i.e. those with no aura) and other types of auras have no effect.

Magi are a special case. They are protected somewhat from this warping effect by their parma magica, which, after all, is designed to block the encroachment of magic. They accumulate Aura Years at a rate of Aura - parma magica score, with a minimum of zero. Thus if the aura is 5, a magus with a parma magica score of 3 will only accumulate 2 Aura Years a year, and a magus with a score of 5 or more won't be affected by the aura. This is assuming that the parma magica ritual is conducted on a daily basis. Jerbiton often do not use their parma magica except when expecting trouble, because it prevents fully appreciating such things as art and music, which have a magic of their own.

Every year (customarily on All Hallows Eve, a most magical time), players must make a warping roll. A quality die is used for this roll, and a number of factors can adjust it. For every (full) ten Aura Years possessed by a character, one is added to the warping roll. Magi must also add one to the warping roll for every 5 Twilight Points they possess. If magi are in the habit of using a particular spell upon themselves, this can also increase the warping effect. This is a judgement call of the storyguide - using a particular spell every day would certainly count, as would one spell with a Duration of Year; using the same spell once a month might have an effect. In general, add the magnitude of the spell to the warping roll, but adjust this according to usage.

If the total is above 9, consult the Warping Table, below.

    Warping                                       Aberration
    Roll      Result                                 Score

    9-11      Annoying negative aberration*            0

    12-16     Minor negative aberration, or            1
              worsen by 1

    17        Minor positive aberration, or            1
              increase by 1

    18-19     Major negative aberration, or            2
              worsen by 2

    20        Major positive aberration, or            2
              increase by 2

    21+       Gain a Twilight Point                    -

*If the character already has five aberrations, he must add 1 to an existing aberration

These aberrations work in exactly the same way as afflictions in the ageing rules. Characters may either develop new afflictions or old ones might worsen. If the latter occurs, roll a simple die and add the score of the aberration, on a result of less than 9, the aberration worsens by the amount indicated on the Warping Table. The score of the affliction adds or subtracts to all related rolls.

Unlike afflictions, aberrations are not always penalties. Some aberrations can be of benefit to the receiver, granting semi-magical powers, or such-like. However, others can be as damaging or restricting as afflictions - it is luck of the draw which a character gains.

No aberration score may be greater than 6, and a character may have no more than five different aberrations. A player can opt (or may be forced, if he already has five afflictions at level 6) to have his character gain a Twilight point instead of gaining or worsening an affliction.

Some aberrations mimic Exceptional Talents such as Second Sight and Magic Sensitivity. These are not actually talents, and their sores cannot be increased by any means other than the mechanics described here. Most aberrations mimic Virtues or Flaws in some way

Any character that possesses more than three aberrations, or 5 points of aberrations (whichever comes first) gains the Magical Air flaw.

Sample Aberrations:

Negative aberrations:

- Compulsion: the character with this aberration has an uncontrollable urge, as in the Flaw of the same name. However, whenever the situation presents itself to indulge in the compulsion, the character must make an Int - Compulsion roll of 6+ to control the urge.
- Disfigured: This aberration can be taken more than once, each choice dealing with a different disfigurement. The score of the aberration represents the intensity of the disfigurement, and acts as a penalty to all Presence rolls involving good looks and gaining respect. They may also affect agility or strength rolls, depending on their nature. Examples: scaly skin, profuse body hair, hunch, club foot, webbed hands, etc.
- Evil Eye: one of the character's eyes is misshapen, causing his face to have a frightening appearance. He suffers a penalty equal to the aberration score for all social rolls. At high levels, this aberration can make people run in fear and children cry, just at a glance.
- Magic Susceptibility: This character is very susceptible to magic. Three times the score of this aberration is subtracted from all Magical Resistance rolls, and the score subtracts from all natural resistance rolls as well. This is a very powerful aberration - it usually only crops up in the children of those born in magical areas, or in characters who already have a number of aberrations already.
- Paranoia: Characters with this aberration are consumed by a fear of a certain thing or situation.. In times of extreme stress, or when confronted by their fear, they may be overcome by their paranoia, and must make Int - Paranoia rolls of 6+ or become a quivering wreck.
- Obsessed: Characters with this aberration suffer effects similar to the flaw of the same name, but Int rolls, penalised by the score of this aberration, may be required whenever the cause of the obsession raises it's ugly head.
- Offensive to Animals: As the flaw of the same name, but the score of the aberration is an indicator of how strongly the reaction of animals is to the character. Someone with a score of 5 or 6 may drive milk-cows dry, or cause feral dogs to attack him.
- Repulsion: The possessor of this aberration tends to repulse those that he wishes to impress, for any reason. In fact, all social interaction rolls involving such people suffer a penalty equal to the aberration score. Those that are of no interest to the character are not affected by this aberration.
- Simple-Minded: The character is unable to think clearly, and has a short attention span. An Intelligence roll, penalised by the score of this aberration, is required to concentrate upon any particular task, or to recall any particular fact. The EF for this roll is usually quite low (3+). Magi with this aberration have no trouble recalling or concentrating on things relating to magic - though a storyguide may wish to apply the score of this aberration as a penalty to lab work.
- Speech Impediment: This aberration can manifest in a number of ways, such as a lisp or a stammer, but acts as a penalty to all Communication rolls. The player should role-play this! It does not affect spell-casting magi, for some reason their magic is unhindered by this aberration.
- Strong Personality: this aberration adds its score to any negative personality trait possessed by the character. They become more passionate about that particular trait, and can often affect others with their extreme emotions. Traits affected are things like Cowardly, Malicious, Mean-spirited etc.
- Unwanted Attraction: The possessor of this affliction is made highly attractive to people who he does not wish to attract or impress - add aberration score to Presence rolls involving such people. If the character is trying to impress someone, he gets no help from this aberration - it only works on those that he detests.
- Weak-Willed: The character's will has been sapped by the magical aura. Those who try to fool, intimidate or manipulate characters with this aberration gain a bonus equal to the aberration's score to their rolls. It also acts as a penalty to natural resistance rolls for spells that control the character's mind.

  Positive aberrations:

- Animal Ken: As the Virtue of the same name, with the score of the aberration acting in lieu of that of the Exceptional Talent. Characters with this aberration tend to exhibit mild animal tendencies.
- Empathy: As the Virtue of the same name, with the score of the aberration acting in lieu of that of the Exceptional Talent.
- Immunity: Characters with this aberration exhibit immunity to a particular type of injury. Refer to the description of the virtue of the same name, and choose an immunity with a Commonality and Deadliness that would be equivalent to a +1 virtue or less - don't choose a degree of immunity. Add three times the score of the aberration to all soak rolls involving the injury type.
- Magic Resistance: This aberration makes a character more resistant to magic. It adds 3 times the score to all magic resistance rolls, and the plain score adds to all natural resistance rolls. This is a powerful affliction, and tends to occur only in characters who were born into magical areas, or who already have other aberrations.
- Magical Sensitivity: As the Virtue of the same name, with the score of the aberration acting in lieu of that of the Exceptional Talent. Characters with this aberration tend to develop a personality trait associated with this aberration, such as Curious, or Busy-body.
- Piercing Gaze: This aberration is the same as the virtue of the same name, except that the score of the aberration is added to intimidation rolls. Characters with this aberration tend to change subtly when using this power - their eyes might swirl with colour, for example.
- Premonitions: As the Virtue of the same name, with the score of the aberration acting in lieu of that of the Exceptional Talent. Characters with this aberration tend to develop associated personality traits, such as Jumpy, or Nervous
- Remarkable Characteristic: Choose one characteristic to be affected - this aberration can be taken several times, for different characteristics. It does not affect Intelligence or Perception, however. Once per day, a character with this aberration can add its score to any one roll involving the characteristic affected. This is similar to the Reserves of Strength virtue, but can affect any characteristic. The character with this aberration tends to develop a minor anomaly associated with the affected characteristic - if Strength is affected, they might develop a ruddy hue, if it is Communication, they may gain a silvery-coloured tongue, etc.
- Second Sight: As the Virtue of the same name, with the score of the aberration acting in lieu of that of the Exceptional Talent. Characters with this aberration tend to change subtly when using this power - their eyes might do completely white, for example, or their feet leave the floor fractionally.
- Strong Willed: This aberration is the same as the virtue of the same name, but the score of the aberration adds to all rolls to resist attempts to coerce the character.
- Strong Personality: this aberration adds its score to any positive personality trait possessed by the character. They become more passionate about that particular trait, and often act as an inspiration to others. Traits affected are things like Brave, Caring, Independent. etc.
- Superb Sense: This aberration gives the character exceptional faculties in a particular sense (sight, hearing and smell are the most common). Add the score of the aberration to all Perception rolls involving that sense. Characters with this aberration tend to develop an unusual feature associated with the affected sense. Those with Superb Vision, for example, might develop startlingly green eyes.
- Weather Sense: As the Virtue of the same name, with the score of the aberration acting in lieu of that of the Exceptional Talent. Characters with this aberration tend to change mood with the weather, being, for example, dark and gloomy during a storm, but happy on a summer's day.

  Many are the reports of odd covenfolk in ancient covenants such as Doissetep. In places such as these, many generations have lived and died in a strong magical field, and the Order has seen many strange events relating to this warping effect. One of the strangest is the passing down of the warping effect to one's children. Children who are born in magical auras of parents who have developed aberrations tend to exhibit virtues or flaws that mimic the aberrations of one both of their parents. Such children, should they remain in the magical aura for most of their life, might have children of their own who have not only the virtues or flaws of their grandparents, but also virtues and/or flaws that mimic aberrations gained through the life of their parents.

  One magus of House Bonisagus has started to study the warping effect of magical auras. She has noticed that more Gifted children seem to be born amongst covenfolk than the general populace, and she hypothesises that this is due to the warping effect. She has begun to use her magic to start up a 'breeding' programme, encouraging covenfolk exhibiting certain aberrations to produce children together. She believes that not only can she generate Gifted children, she can also generate children with particular affinities. Those with the Weather Sense aberration in their background, for example, might end up with affinities with Weather, or Auram. The Order must wait and see whether this experiment is a success or not...

  ### Mundanes and Twilight

  Through the warping effect of a magical aura, mundanes might gain Twilight Points. What effects to these have on non-Gifted individuals? Unlike Decrepitude Points in the Ageing rules, they only have a minor effect on the warping roll itself (every 5 Twilight Points adds one to the warping roll), so they do not represent gradual state of 'magical health' in the same way that the former represent physical health. Instead they represent the character's overall resilience to magical effects. Magi are not affected in the same way, because their Gift and their magical training protects them

  Firstly, mundanes who possess Twilight Points who are caught in a magical botch (for example, were a target of a spell that botches) must roll an extra botch die for each Twilight Point they own. If any of these come out as zero, then this represents the magical backlash that the character will suffer, notwithstanding the effects on the magus who botched the spell in the first place.

  Secondly, a mundane character with Twilight Points might experience strange effects if exposed to large quantities of raw magic - i.e. conditions that might usually induce Temporary Twilight in a magus. In an intense magical aura they might suffer hallucinations (which may turn out to be prophetic visions), or be knocked unconscious by the magical overload. These effects are up to the storyguide, but may result in gaining more Twilight Points

  Thirdly, a character who accumulates 15 Twilight Points gains the ability to use minor magics - they have developed, in effect, the Gift. Although this Gift is not strong enough to learn Hermetic Magic, they can, for example, be trained by a Natural Magician or Cunning Woman. Of course, they do not necessarily realise that they have developed the Gift, and they may be too old to fully develop their potential.

  Fourthly, a mundane character who accumulates 24 Twilight Points will enter Final Twilight, just like a magus would.